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Who is responsible for prior charges.

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  • 26-08-2011 3:06pm
    #1
    ceewa
    Registered Users Posts: 87 ✭✭


    Hello

    I've been looking on the ESB website but can't find the answer to my query so I thought I'd try here.

    The scenario is:
    I just bought a house, the sale was completed today and I now have my keys.

    The previous owner requested that the electricity be cut off today as he is selling the house.
    There was no account at the house for the last few weeks, the previous account was for people who were renting (to the best of my knowledge this was not in the previous owners name).

    I have been told that in order to get my electrity back on I have to accept charges of about 40 euro that are for the period of time when there was no account registered at the address (prior to the previous owner requesting that the supply be cut off and prior to the sale being completed)

    I also have to pay the reconnection charge.

    I think the previous owner was just being awkward switching off the supply, I may be wrong but I don’t think there was any need to cut off the electricity for us to set up our own account. Am I correct with this?

    Why do I need to accept the older charges incurred before I owned the house?
    Why was the previous owner allowed to request the supply be cut off and not be held responsible for the charges?

    Thanks


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Electric Ireland: Mark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 63 ✭✭Electric Ireland: Mark


    Hello ceewa,

    If it is a situation where the property has been dormant, ie the electricity account has been closed by an account holder and not been taken over by anyone else, then after a certain period the power would be disconnected. This would occur because, as there is no registered electricity account holder, we would assume that the property is vacant, and for safety reasons, ESB Networks would have to disconnect the supply to the property.

    In the normal course of events, there is no necessity to request a termination of supply to a property. An account holder may call to request to close their electricity account if they are vacating the property, but this does not necessarily terminate supply immediately. Once an account is closed, it would then be up to whoever is taking over the electricity account to call us in order to set up their electricity account.

    Any account holder may request that the supply be terminated at any stage. Were this same account holder to request the supply be restored they would then be obliged to pay the reconnection fee. As you are the new account holder and the supply needs to be reconnected, you would then need to pay this reconnection fee in order to have the supply restored.

    However, you would not be liable for any outstanding balances which have not been incurred by you, i.e. balances owed by previous account holders.

    If you would like to PM me the details I can look into this further for you.

    Any further questions please ask :)

    Regards,
    Mark


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